Floor furnace with removable heater unit



May 23, 1950 c. B. RICHARDSON FLOOR FURNACE WITH REMOVABLE HEATER UNIT 3Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo. 11, 1946 CARL B. RHARDsoN May 23, 1950 C. B.RICHARDSON Y2,508,889

FLOOR FURNACE WITH REMOVABLE HATER UNIT Filed Deo. 11, 1946 ssheets-sheet 2 I7 la I6 |9 gmc/Mofo CARL B. RICHARDSON May 23, 1950 c.B. RICHARDSON FLOOR FURNACE WITH REMOVABLE HEATER UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed DeC. l1, 1946 g1/WW CARL b. RICHARDSON @www Patented May 23, 1950UNITED STATES ATENT OF FICE4 FLOOR FURNACE WITH REMOVABLE HEATER UNIT 2Claims. 1

This invention relates to a novel hot air furnace, more especially ofthe type commonly known as floor furnaces, adapted for installationimmediately below a iloorY and having its discharge of heated airthrough said iioor.

Such furnaces are customarily used in connection with homes,usually ofmoderate cost, having no basements or cellars, necessitating theprovision of a well or pit below the ground floor in which the heatingapparatus must be installed.

Although the equipments in vogue have been found quite eili'cientl inoperation, serious diculties have been encountered where the apparatusis to be used in successive seasons, in keeping the same clean, freefrom rust and consequent impairment, and in the inaccessibility of thecritical or main operating parts of the apparatus for necessary repair,in instances requiring the services of more than one repair man.

The invention has for an object, in the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the provision of a floor furnace preferably of stainlesssteel or non-rusting material, substantially all operating portions ofwhich are removable from the pit or well, upwardly through the floorwhere they are fully accessible for convenient cleaning, repair, etc.through the efforts of a single operator, if necessary, and permitting asimple, quick and easy reassembly in the pit or well when the parts havebeen treated as desired, preferably between successive winter seasonsor, in fact, any time conditions so require.

Simplicity of construction and consequent inexpensiveness inmanufacture, installation and repair are also underlying objects in theproduction of the said preferred embodiment of the invention.

A special formation of communication or connection between the exhaustue of an outside casing and an inner ue from a heating chamber wherebythe latter may be tilted and shifted laterally to permit the upward liftthereof through the top opening after the grills and their attachedbaiiles have been removed;

A fire pot having means facilitating combustion of air and gas mixturestherein discharging into an upstanding chimney or flue for deliveringthe products of combustion into a surrounding heating chamber at a pointsubstantially above an outlet to the inner iiue from the heating case tothe exhaust nue or chimney of the outside casing;

Means permitting detachment and vertical removal from the outer casingof either or both the nre pot or heating chamber surrounding the sameand Means permitting a. removal by an upward lift of the fire pot andits parts, theV heating chamber and its parts, and a base or platformfor the heating chamber from the, outer casing.`

All of the foregoing, and other novel features of the preferredembodiment of the invention, will be more fully apparent and understoodfrom the detailed descriptionl hereinafter contained, when read inconnection With they accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, andwherein* Figure 1 is a Vertical sectional View of the furnace, the firepot and thev soot catchv plate forming a part, thereof being shown inelevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the fire pot.

Figure 3 is Ia horizontal sectional View through the apparatusv taken onthe linef of Figure 1 and looking downwardly o r towards the bottom ofthe fire pot.

Figure i is a sectional view on the line 474 of Figure 1 lookingdownwardly.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the meeting ornesting portions of the grill sections and immediately associated parts,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View O f the cuter or cold section oftheA associated grill alone, the inner or hot section being removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein the same referencenumerals designate like parts in the several views Il represents theiloor of the room or house to be heated, said door being adjacent to thesurface of the ground wherein a pit or well i2 is formed in keeping withknown practices, the samebeing of any desired construction with itswalls` faced and protected, if desired, or bare Awhere climatic and soilconditions justify, and-I3 represents the bottom of the pit or well.Thispt or well in itself constitutes no departure from customarypractices, nor is it a characteristic feature of the instant invention.

A metallic outside casing I4 (preferably stainless or rustless steel, asis substantially all of the parts to be herein described)-convenientlyof rectangular contour (Figure 3)-is formed in the well l2 and fittedbetween the top and bottom thereof as a matter of relatively permanentfixture in said well.

This outside casing rests or carries a pan l5 disposed at the bottom. ofthe Well to esclude, Within reasonable height, water` or otheraccumulotions in the bottom of the Well. above thema, v as will beobvious. The corners of the YQntside casing I4 are formed of uprightangle bars I6, the flanges of which are of considerable width overlyingcorrespondingly shaped corner braces Ilia and spacers I1, to formvertical ways or grooves I8, for a purpose to be later pointed out, itbeing here noted that the uprights or angle bars I6 and spacers I1extend well below the bottom platform or supporting member I9 for thefire pot 2U and associated mechanical structure thereabove.,

Extending around the interior of the apparatus, so as to bridge theangle corners I6 and spacers I1, is an inverted U-shaped bar 20, adepending flange 2| of which is welded to the walls of the angle spacersI1, and another depending flange 22 of which terminating in a ledge 23,receives the supporting member or platform I9 the latter having asurrounding depending flange 24 adapted to bear on the underlying shelf23 and detachably locked in position through the medium of connectionsapproximately described as ball and socket fittings 25, formed byindentations and rounded projections as best seen in Figure l. The metaland associated parts are such that an attachment or detachment of theplatform with its support may be effected by tilting or swinging thebase or platform I9 upwardly.

Surrounding the nre pot 20', and substantially enclosing the same, is ametal casing 26 forming with one wall 21 of a heating chamber 28, achamber 28, into which ample outside air may be admitted through theopenings in the angle corner members I6 and spacers I1, constituting thelegs of the apparatus and supplied to the combustion areas of the firepot through apertures 30, in the wall of the fire pot, and 3l, in acontracted neck portion 32 thereof, to be later referred to. The casing26 has flange portions 33 and 34 welded to the three adjoining walls, as21 of the heating chamber 28, and a similar iiange 34 welded to thefourth or remaining wall of the said heating chamber at the lower endthereof.

It will be appreciated that it is altogether desirable that as much heatas possible be conserved in the heating chamber 28, and to that endconduction of the heat from said chamber through the metal wall thereofto the metal supporting platform I9 and therebeyondl is prevented, saidchamber is insulated all around from said supporting platform by theinterposition of non-conducting washers or strips 35 between the uppersurface of the platform I9 and surrounding horizontal anges 36 insuperposed parallel relation thereto, these parts being permanentlyfastened together through rivets or bolts and nuts 31 passing throughthe surrounding ange portions 36, the body of the supporting platform i9and angle reinforcing bars 38.

- The-lire pot 26' is preferably of cylindrical formation (Figure 4) andhas the removable vbottom 3S (Figure 2) secured in place by bolts 40(Figure l) xed at one end to the outside of ythe iire pot wall andpassing downwardly through outwardly projecting lugs 4l (Figure 4) to beengaged by winged threaded nuts i2 in firmly securing the bottom 39 inplace, the free ends of the bolts 40 having complemental threads topermit this operation.

The hollow bottom 33 is of substantial height to enable an accumulationof the oil or fuel represented at 43 therein, and in the downwardlydished central portion 44 of the latter for initially setting theapparatus into heating operation, it being noted that through the dishedor center of the hollow bottom the supply pipe o r nozzle 45 for thefuel is introduced, the latter receiving its supply from any convenientsource, as through a pipe 46 intervening said nozzle and a meteringvalve 41, diagrammatically depicted (Figures l and 3), and another pipeor lead 66 running from a detachable coupling i9 in communication withthe main source of supply, wherever located, and of any optional designnot important herein.

The top part of the fire pot is narrowed or constricted as at 32,previously stated, and has an inturned surrounding flange or lip 56 tocause deflection of the incoming air through the apertures 3l andarising fuel or gases towards the center of the fire pot to cause bettermixing and combustion of the ignited fuel as it passes further upwardlythrough a substantially elongated chimney or outlet flue 5I, dischargingat an elevated or high point in the heating chamber 23 which dischargesat the lower portion of said chamber, as indicated at 52, into anexhaust pipe 53 coupled thereat, ultimately delivering to the outletpipe or equivalent 54. By delivering the products of combustion at theelevated point in the heating chamber 28, benefit from the heatinfluence thereof will be disseminated throughout the entire area of theheating chamber because of the compelled travel of the products ofcombustion in the downward direction in the chamber 28 to the exitthereof at the outlet 52- 53, in which course of travel any freed sootor other objectionable matter may fall and accumulate on the top 55 ofthe casing 26, surrounding the fire pot 20', to be conveniently wipedoff or removed by removing the detachable top 56 of the heating chamber28 either when the device is installed in the pit or well or after theappara-tus has been removed therefrom, of course, the inner grillsection 51 having been withdrawn to permit the opera-tion in eitherrespect.

Thumb nuts and complemental screws 55a, form a detachable connectionbetween the top 55 and inwardly turned iianges of the casing 26surrounding the re pot whereby the fire pot and associated parts may beremoved with said top 55 when the latter is unfastened, and the fuelsupply line is disconnected from the nozzle d5.

It has been customary to ignite the fuel in a furnace of this characterby inserting a torch or igniter through the top of the nre box to nearthe available fuel or oil supply at the bottom of said re pot, suchdevices consisting of a rod bearing a wad of absorbent material at itsinner end and having an extension constituting a handle at the otherend. However, such devices because of their .being left in the fire pot,when not in service, are objectionable in that they become constantlysubjected to the intense flame or heat and warp or twist out of shape sothat they must be discarded and renewed, etc. The present improvement ofthis igniter feature of the invention is in having the absorbentmaterial, as asbestos, at the lower end of a freely jointed shaft, theouter or handle end 58 thereof being connected to a relatively broad cap597 with a depending iiange 60 interfltting with an upturned nange 6l,surrounding an opening 62 in the top 56 of the heating chamber, thecooperating flanges EU-BI on the top and cap being loosely tted orspaced apart, to permit lateral movement of the cap whereby to alwaysinsure seating of the anges to secure a two-ring or line contact betweenthe flange and body of the top and cap. The cap or handle portion isadjustable to regulate the length of the exi-ble shaft by means of athread and nut adjustable attachment 63, and the handle portion V58 ofthe shaft may serve to suspend the lower portion or asbesitos-carryingportion of the shaft so that the seating of the cap on the top 56 of theheating chamber may be assured. On the other hand the depending end 64universally connected as at 65 with the handle portion 58 of theflexible shaft carrying the ignitible absorbent material 55 (Figure 2)may move laterally in any direction beyond the sides of the nozzle 45 ifthe latter should be in the way of the introduction of the igniter.

The course of the fresh air being heated through the medium of theheating chamber 23, and in its passage through the device, is determinedby certain bailles or walls (in instances rectangular in contour) andthe wood or other inilammable work of the ilooring, in connection withwhich the device is used is protected by the disposition of the baffleswith reference to each other, and to the heating chamber, and withreference to the grill sections broadly, as suggested hereinbefore. Thespecic construction of these elements will now be pointed out.

As already noted, 51 represents the inner or hot central portion of thegrill. 6d represents the outer surrounding portion oi the grill which Ihave styled the cold section of the grill. These sections are formed andrelated to obviate dangerous heat conditions from being transmitted fromthe apparatus to the iloor or wood-work to which the apparatus isapplied,V The outer` grill section carries the depending rectangularbaille or partition 5l riveted thereto as at 68, the same being ofoblong cross-section conforming to the general shape of the apparatus.This outside grill section has a multitude oi air inlet passages 69 andli) passing therethrough, of a number and shape desired, whereby thecooler air of the room may pass therefrom downwardly through the nue liin the direction of the arrow (Figure 1), formed by partition El and theouter casingV i4 of the apparatus. The lower end of the partition orbaille Sl suspends freely from the grill section 65, being verticallyslotted at its lower end 'l2 to slip over or be raised from the pipesection 53. The lower end of this baille 6l terminates somewhat abovethe platform i3 that constitutes the major portion of the closure iorthe bottom of the apparatus. carried by and suspends from the hot grillsection 5l, being riveted thereto at 'lll and arranged so that inassembled condition and operation this partition or baille 'i3 is spacedfrom the rstmentioned baille El to provide a supplemental air space orinsulating area l5 between the baliles.

The baille 'I3 is adapted to be slipped downwardly over the pipe section53 in the same manner as already described in connection with the baille6l. In other words these baiiles are just alike save the diameters aredifferent, permitting the nesting of the baille 'I3 within the outerbaille 6l. The operation will 4be understood when it s recalled that thecooler air entering the flue 'H will pass around the lower ends of thebailles 61 and 13 and upwardly through the continuation 'it of the saidilue to, and in contact with, the sides and top of the heating chamber28, whence the heated air will pass upwardly through the central grillsection 5l to the room.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6 it will be observed that the outer grillsection 5t has an outwardly extending circumferential main supportingflange il adapted to rest upon the floor of the structure in connectionwith which the heating apparatus Alike baille or partition 'i3 is isemployed, a downwardly extending ange 18 received in the floor opening,a downwardly directed flange 'i9 to accommodate the rivets 68, and aninwardly directed ledge B, the upper surface oi which, together with theadjoining vertical surface of the wall el of this grill section, forms ailrm angular seat 82 to receive a complemental flange or lug 83projecting outwardly from the edge of the grill section el. rlhis grillsection 5l in turn carries the partition or baffle it riveted to thesame at it, as previously reierred to. The inwardly directed supportingledge 3s is of increased or heavy thickness where it joins the wall elof 'the grill to aford the adequate strength required, as clearly seenin Figure 6, and in order to give the central grill portion 5l acapability to withstand excessive weights and the like superimposedthereon, said section is of trussecl formation, in other wordsdownwardly increased in height to give the added metal and strength atthe point most needed.

Two important advantages result from the provision of the sectionalgrill= one the ease and facility with which the central portion of thegrill may be withdrawn, as desired, with suspended portions oi theapparatus, the same being true of the outer grill section and itssuspended parts, to open up the interior of the furnace and permitwithdrawal of the lire pot, heating charnber, etc.; and to preventexcessive heat being conducted from the heating chamber directly throughan integral grill furnace to the flooring or equivalent supportingstructure.

In particularly describing the fragmentary sections or detail views,Figures 5 and 6, it is to be observed that but a single supporting ledge8i] and complemental s-uperposed flange i3 was recited. However, as amatter of fact, the ledge and flange do not extend continuously aroundthe grill but are a number of ilttings of reduced extent, so far aspossible, to afford enough supporting strength for the underlyingstructure while avoiding, so far as possible, continuous metal contactbetween the two grill sections. This leavesl openr spaces between theinner and outer sections of the grill for the passage of air from thespace 'i9 between the bailles 6l and 13. Furthermore, even where theflanges or lugs 33 and ledges` all are present lit is desirable at timesthat their contacting surfaces may be minimized and heating radiationfrom the central section of the grill augmented by the presence of nsorribs 85 on one of the members along the meetrim between the same and theother of said members.

86 is a door hinged horizontally in a suitable cut-away portion of thegrill section 5i to afford access to the igniter.

88 is a vertically slidable door in the nature of a panel, constitutingthe lower portion of one of the end walls of the outer casing of theapparatus affording accessy to the interior, if found necessary ordesirable. This slidable door 88 works up-and-down in the ways orgrooves I8 provided between the angle upright i6, I6a and the portionsill, the sliding door being adapted to be held in lifted position, atany point desired, by a spring catch 8S in the wall portion I4 adaptedto frictionally engage or interlock with a suitably formed part of thedoor.

A baille @t of Lformation depends from the baille '13, being weldedthereto at 8l to depend therefrom and be interposed between the meteringvalve il and the re pot to protect the area around the metering valve asrequired by insur- 7 ance practices. The improvement in the instantsupplemental baflie 90 is in the idea that the same is inserted inposition with and supported from the baille 13, and may be removed awayfrom the metering valve to permit better access thereto.

To permit the platform I9, with all of the parts carried thereby,including the exhaust pipe 53, to be tilted and withdrawn from the outercasing, the connection between the said exhaust pipe 53 and the outletpipe or flue 54 is such that the interior mechanism (pipe 53, heatingchamber 28, platform I9, etc.) may be rocked or tilted in a verticaldirection as well as moved to the right away from the outlet pipe 54.For this purpose the end of the exhaust pipe l53 is extended freelytowards and into the flared or bell-shaped end 92 of the outlet pipe 54,and a close tting or sealing ring 93 is sleeved upon the exhaust pipe 53to be frictionally held, or otherwise fastened thereon, so that normallysaid ring 93 may be forced outwardly against the flared or bellshapedend 92 of the outlet pipe to close the space between the two pipes 53and 54, and on the other hand, as occasion requires, may be slidinwardly along the pipe 53 to permit a tilting of the latter in the endof the pipe 54 to permit the platform I9 and parts thereon to be correspondingly tilted upwardly to free the engagement between the same andits inverted U-shaped bar or supporting member 20 when the whole of thisinterior construction. now under consideration, may be moved to theright and the exhaust pipe 53 sufficiently shifted away from the outletpipe 54 to permit vertical raising of the interior structure within theouter casing.

It will be noted that the contacting face of the ring- 93, with thebell-shaped end 92, is of the same curve conguration as at 94 to afforda broad surface contact.

I claim:

1. In a floor furnace, an outer casing adapted for installation in a pitand having means provided at the bottom thereof for the passage of airfrom the atmosphere into the interior of said casing, a spring angecarried by said outer casing horizontally around its inner surface at alevel above said air-inlet means, a base plate adapted to rest upon andresiliently engage said spring flange, an inner casing aflixed to theupper side of said base plate forming a heating chamber, a re potmounted within said heating chamber,

means permitting now of air from said air-inlet means to the interior ofsaid re pot, a stack carried by said re pot operative to discharge theproducts of combustion into the heating chamber at the upper portionthereof, a main exhaust pipe affixed to the outer casing, and meansaiixed to the inner casing connecting the lower portion of the heatingchamber with said main exhaust pipe.

2. In a floor furnace, an outer casing adapted for installation in a pitand having means provided at the bottom thereof for the passage of airfrom the atmosphere into the interior of said casing, a spring flangecarried by said outer casing horizontally around its inner surface at alevel above said air-inlet means, a base plate adapted to rest upon andresiliently engage said spring flange, an inner casing afxed to theupper side of said base plate forming a heating chamber, a re potmounted within said heating chamber, means permitting flow of air fromsaid air-inlet means to the interior of said re pot, a stack carried bysaid rire pot operative to discharge the products of combustion into theheating chamber at the upper portion thereof, a main exhaust pipeaffixed to the outer casing, an inner exhaust pipe aixed to the innercasing near the lower end thereof and adapted to register at its outletend with the inlet end of said main exhaust pipe, and a resilientbushing slidably mounted on the inner exhaust pipe adapted to form agas-tight seal between the two exhaust pipes when they are inregistering position.

CARL B. RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,332 Sabins June 8, 19431,405,187 Cole Jan. 31, 1922 1,666,367 Clausing Apr. 17, 1928 1,697,687Lockwood Jan. 1, 1929 1,754,096 Gohmann Apr. 8, 1930 1,841,569 BrandtJan. 19, 1932 1,885,891 Breese Nov. 1, 1932 2,144,129 Steel Jan. 17,1939 2,272,423 Moore Feb. 10, 1942 2,378,485 Jones et al. June 19, 1945

